Smart interconnecting clamp system

ABSTRACT

A apparatus for monitoring the integrity of an electrical wire includes a clamp system, a sensor system, a user interface configured to receive input data and output wire information, and a control unit configured to process the wire data, process the input data, and generate the output wire information. The clamp system includes a clamp and the sensor system includes a sensor configured to retrieve the wire data. In another embodiment, a portable device is configured to obtain wire data from a smart clamping system, to transmit the wire data to a processor and to receive a multi-dimensional representation, and a computer system configured to receive the wire data generated and to generate the multi-dimensional representation of the wire. A method for monitoring a wire includes capturing wire data using a clamp, transmitting the wire data to a control unit, generating wire information to output, and outputting the wire information.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims one or more inventions which were disclosed inProvisional Application No. 62/745,311 entitled “Augmented RealityMonitoring System (ARMS) for Smart Inter-Connecting Clamp (ICC)”. Thebenefit under 35 USC § 119(e) of the United States provisionalapplication is hereby claimed, and the aforementioned application ishereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention pertains to interconnecting clamp systems, and moreparticularly, to smart interconnecting clamp systems to clamp wirebundles and to monitor and determine wiring integrity.

Description of Related Art

An electrical wire harness is an assembly of wires, or cables, thattransmit signals (e.g., electrical signals to deliver power or transmitdata). These wires are arranged in a particular order and bound togetherto facilitate installation, repair, and maintenance of the wires and theconnection of different pieces of equipment distant from each other. Awire harness may be used in aircraft, automobiles, ships, heavymachinery, or other vehicles or equipment. Wires that run throughoutvehicles, such as aircraft and engine compartments, need to be securedinto bundles and to the airframe with electrical clamps (i.e. Adelclamps) to prevent interfering with moving parts or chafing. Forexample, the MS21919 aircraft clamp is used by many aircraft and vehicleOEMs.

Vehicle inspections are performed frequently in attempts to ensure thatvehicles are available for deployment when needed. Wiring bundlesrequire visual inspections to detect, for example, chafing of electricalwiring or contact with fuel lines, hydraulic lines, and oxygen lines.Visual inspections need to include the inspection of the wiring harnessunder these electrical clamps. The cushions that surround the electricalclamps are exposed to heat, vibration, and a variety of fuel and otherchemical fluids. Inspections have found instances when the cushion’swrapping edge has been in good condition, but the cushion has worn awayon the inside of the band to expose a metal band of the clamp thatchafes, abrades, or cuts through the wire insulation. Additionally, ithas been noted that on fuel systems, torn cushions exposing the metalbands of the clamps cause unwanted fuel migrations, or low fuelpressure. In hydraulic lines, electrical wiring clamp bands (MS21919)have been found rubbing through hydraulic system lines, resulting in aloss of hydraulic level. Intermittent electrical faults have leadtechnicians to find an Adel clamp cutting into an electrical harness.

Unfortunately, visual inspection of these clamps is inefficient becausemechanics need to remove all the clamps that are installed on anaircraft or vehicle. A rotary craft may have up to 2,000 of these clampsand a commercial aircraft may have up to 15,000 of these clamps.Removing this many clamps and then inspecting the clamps and thecorresponding bundles of wires for damage consumes a lot of time.

Currently, vehicle maintenance schedules for each vehicle are maintainedin a central database, and the database notifies personnel to performthe scheduled maintenance function when due based on calendar drivenpreventive maintenance schedules. Repair diagnostic tests are performedwhen maintenance personnel are made aware of a need for repair. Knownmaintenance schedule notification and repair processes are inefficientbecause the maintenance personnel are not always informed of maintenanceneeds, and vehicle diagnostic tests can be time-consuming and costly.Additionally, the potential delay in notifying maintenance personnel ofa need to repair or perform maintenance procedures often renders avehicle out of service or risks the safety of the vehicle and operator.

Maintenance of wire harnesses may be performed manually. Instructionsfor troubleshooting a wire harness may include information regardingelectrical connectors (e.g., sockets and plugs) where wires areterminated, terminal blocks, circuit breakers, or fasteners. Currently,instructions for troubleshooting a wire harness may be in the form ofpaper technical manuals, electronic files, and portable devices such ashand-held tablets containing electrical diagrams. The technical manualsmust be printed or the documentation must be retrieved from thehand-held device manually. Often, the printing or tablet is then sortedor provided to technicians. Technicians must often flip through thereference to locate the right instructions. Referencing instructions maysplit the attention of the technician. Referencing instructions may alsorequire more time than desired. Further, the instructions may beconfusing or difficult to read. Still further, referencing instructionsmay require the technician to keep an updated version.

The electrical wiring harnesses used particularly in the aeronauticindustry are quite complex by the number of wires and connectorsincluded. Troubleshooting these electrical wiring harnesses istraditionally done on board the aircraft using the manufacturingdrawings and specifications on paper or handheld electronic devices,which are used for performing checks on the wiring routing andconnection operations and which can have labels facilitating theidentification of the wires. A significant difficulty with thistroubleshooting process is the handling of the manufacturingdocumentation because of its complexity and a high possibility of makingmistakes.

Several proposals to improve the process by eliminating the use of paperor electronic documentation and shift to augmented reality have beenmade in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,387 describes a computerizedinformation system for managing the documentation for manufacturingelectrical wiring harnesses that allows displaying on a screen therouting and connection information of the wires making up an electricalwiring harness. U.S. Pat. No. 6,625,299 describes a system that usesaugmented reality technology to display the wiring harness manufacturingdocumentation, using particularly HMD (“Head-Mounted Display”) devices.U.S. Pat. No. 8,902,254 describes an augmented reality portable devicefor assisting the technician through information displayed on a screen.U.S. Pat. No. 7,093,351 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,647,695 B2 describe,respectively, a device and a method for assisting the technician onspecific operations for guiding the connection of the wires of aconnector. Although all these proposals represent an advance over thetraditional method of visualizing electrical wiring harnesses, there isa need in the industry to improve the troubleshooting of electricalwiring harnesses and isolating individual faulty wires, particularly inindustries such as aeronautics, which are significantly increasing theuse of electrical devices.

Traditional methods of evaluating damage and developing potential repairscenarios in a production environment are currently based on twodimensional documentation and generalized procedures dictated by thedrawing based environment being used in the design process. This methodrequires a user to have the two dimensional documents on hand, alongwith supplemental reference information, in order to be able tocorrectly identify the location at which a repair must be made, as wellas to ascertain what the maintenance and repair history is relative tothe operations that need to take place.

Specific physical damage tends to be more difficult to find and repairon a single wire within a wiring bundle, and this damage tends to bemore critical to repair due to the complexity of the electrical systems.Skilled technicians understand that the replacement of these clamps isnot trivial. On Dec. 29, 2000, for example, a Delta Airlines aircraftflight 219 (L101 1) had an electrical fire due to electrical arcing ofthe windshield heat wire bundle. The cause of the electrical arcing wasan Adel clamp damaging wires in and a 30-wire bundle. Twenty of the 30wires were observed burned. The repair costs of the many systems theseclamps support can be enormous.

Accordingly, a need exists for improved clamps, clamp systems, andmethods and systems to detect damage in wires and wire bundles securedwith the clamps and clamp systems.

Summary of the Invention

A clamping system including a real-time vehicle tracking and monitoringsystem with augmented reality visualization and fault localization isdisclosed that addresses one or more of the issues discussed above.

In an embodiment, an apparatus for monitoring the integrity of anelectrical wire or a wiring harness includes: a clamp system includingat least one clamp to clamp the wire or the wiring harness; a sensorsystem including at least one sensor supported by the smart clamp, theat least one sensor configured to retrieve wire or wiring harness data;a user interface configured to receive input data and output wire orwiring harness information; and a control unit configured to process thewire or wiring harness data, process the input data, and generate theoutput wire or wiring harness information.

In another embodiment, an apparatus for providing an augmented realityview of a vehicle includes: a portable device configured to obtain wireor wire harness data from a smart clamping system, to transmit the wireor wire harness data to a processor, and to receive a multi-dimensionalrepresentation; and a computer system remote from the portable deviceconfigured to receive the wire or wire harness data generated by theportable device, generate a number of digital definitions in a metrologyprocess using the wire harness data, generate a multi-dimensionalrepresentation of a combined augmented reality of the wire or wiringharness, and transmit the multi-dimensional representation to theportable device for display, wherein the portable device includes atleast one user interface, and wherein the multi-dimensionalrepresentation is configured to be viewed by a user using the userinterface.

In another embodiment, a method for monitoring a wire or wire harnessincludes: capturing wire or wire harness data using a clamp, the clampincluding a sensor; transmitting the wire or wire harness data capturedby the clamp to a control unit; generating wire or wiring harnessinformation to output; and outputting the wire or wiring harnessinformation through a portable device.

In another embodiment, a smart interconnecting clamp comprising: a firstbody portion; and a second body portion configured to mate with thefirst body portion to form a center hole for holding a wire or wirebundle, the mated first body portion and second body portion having afirst side, a second side directly adjacent the first side, a third sidedirectly adjacent the second side and opposite the first side withrespect to the center hole, and a fourth side directly adjacent thethird side and the first side and opposite the second side with respectto the hole, the first side including a ridge with a center gap.

In another embodiment, a bracket for connecting a smart interconnectingclamp to a surface includes a body having a dovetail-shaped groove, thegroove including a tab; a flange connected to the body, the flangehaving a hole configured for insertion of a fastener.

In another embodiment, a bracket for connecting a smart interconnectingclamp to a surface includes an elongated body, the elongated body havinga length and a dovetail-shaped groove extending the length, thedovetail-shaped groove having a center hole configured for insertion ofa rivet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a smart clamp 10 clamping awire bundle, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the smart clamp of FIG. 1 , without awire bundle.

FIG. 3 illustrates a body portion of a smart clamp, according to theembodiment of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 illustrates a body portion of a smart clamp, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates two smart clamps connected with wire ties, accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates the smart clamp of FIG. 1 connected to sensorhousing, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a partial perspective view of a smart clamp,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a partial perspective view of the smart clamp of FIG.7 .

FIG. 9 illustrates a partial perspective view of the smart clamp of FIG.7 .

FIG. 10 illustrates a partial perspective view of the smart clamp ofFIG. 7

FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of a grip segment.

FIG. 12 is a layout illustrating how leakage current can be used todetect and locate problems in an aircraft circuit by the use of multiplesmart clamps with amperage sensors, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a perspective view of an electronic housing moduleconnected to a smart clamp, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 illustrates a perspective view of a segment of the electronichousing module of FIG. 13 .

FIG. 15 illustrates a perspective view of the segment of the electronichousing module of FIG. 13 .

FIG. 16 illustrates a perspective view of the electronic housing moduleof FIG. 13 .

FIG. 17 illustrates a partial, perspective view of a lid of the segmentof the electronic housing module of FIG. 13 .

FIG. 18 illustrates a partial, cross-sectional view of a latchingmechanism of the electronic housing module of FIG. 13 .

FIG. 19 illustrates a perspective view of the latching mechanism of theembodiment of FIG. 18 .

FIG. 20 illustrates a perspective view of a mounting element to mount asmart clamp to a surface, according to an embodiment, the mountingelement attached to the smart clamp.

FIG. 21 illustrates a perspective view of a mounting element, accordintgto an embodiment.

FIG. 22 illustrates a perspective view of a mounting bracket and amounting on a smart clamp, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 23 illustrates a perspective view of a mounting bracket to mount asmart clamp to a surface, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 24 illustrates a perspective view of the mounting bracket of FIG.23 attached to a smart clamp, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 25 schematically illustrates a smart clamping system, according toan embodiment.

FIG. 26 illustrates an example of a vehicle on a display of a dataacquisition device showing faults detected and reported, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 27 illustrates a representation of a network of data processingsystem, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 28 schematically illustrates a portable/wearable device in a smartclamp sensor system, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 29 schematically illustrates elements of a telematics datacollection and evaluation system, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 30 illustrates a display of a portable device, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 31 illustrates a multi-data representation displayed on a portabledevice, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings that form a part thereof, and in which is shown by way ofillustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the presentteachings may be practiced. These embodiments are described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice thepresent teachings and it is to be understood that other embodiments maybe utilized and that changes may be made without departing from thescope of the present teachings. The following description is, therefore,merely exemplary.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularexample embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As usedherein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” may be intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and“having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of statedfeatures, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, butdo not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groupsthereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described hereinare not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance inthe particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specificallyidentified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood thatadditional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on”, “engaged to”,“connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may bedirectly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element orlayer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast,when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engagedto”, “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element orlayer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Otherwords used to describe the relationship between elements should beinterpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directlybetween,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein,the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more ofthe associated listed items.

Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath”, “below”,“lower”, “above”, “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofdescription to describe one element or feature’s relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatiallyrelative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations ofthe device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depictedin the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turnedover, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements orfeatures would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features.Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation ofabove and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptorsused herein interpreted accordingly.

As discussed above, a clamping system including a real-time vehicletracking and monitoring system with augmented reality visualization andfault localization is disclosed.

Embodiments of a smart clamp disclosed herein enable testing of thewiring integrity in tight spaces where other hand tools cannot reach.Because there is minimal manual or physical force required, the smartclamp design reduces the risk of Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) thatcan occur with monotonous hand crimping. The smart clamp offers areliable method for detecting wiring defects before they become faults.Given that the smart clamp secures wire bundles, the smart clamps canserve as a useful automated device for ensuring the integrity ofelectrical systems. The functions of the smart clamp can include:

-   detecting aging effects on wiring through an interconnection system    provided by the smart clamp;-   providing data regarding failure characterization and diagnostics;-   identifying wiring system failure mechanisms and degradation    processes;-   checking robust insulators and conductors for contamination,    degradation over time, metal shavings from repairs, exposure to    fluids, Ph levels and physical properties of the insulation such as    washing solutions or hydraulic fluids;-   detecting physical abuse such as stepping on the wire bundle;-   detecting changes in the physical and chemical properties of    insulation such as flexibility, hardness, tensile strength,    compressive strength, and torsion strength; and-   detecting environmental effects that include temperature, humidity,    and solar exposure.

The smart clamp is a non-destructive interconnecting device for wiringsystems that could become an integral part of an aircraft tocontinuously monitor and locate wiring faults and wiring defects. Thesmart clamp is light and nonmetal in situ inspection technology foraircraft wire integrity. The smart clamp includes uniquely identifiableelectronic modules that monitor signals within aircraft wiring withoutneed for disconnection. The smart clamp monitors the wiring signalinformation and stores corresponding data in a database. The use of thesmart clamp enables real-time inspection of wiring integrity. The datacan determine schedule maintenance and statistical analysis of aircraftwiring by the use of a microelectronic module with integral software toprocess data generated by built-in sensors housed within the smartclamp, a grip, or an external electronic compartment unit surrounding awire bundle. The smart clamp may contain many sensor functionalities,such as a programmable solid state sensor with an arc detection and wiredamage detection/locator module.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a smart clamp 10 clamping awire bundle 12. FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the smart clamp 10without a wire bundle. According to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the smart clamp10 includes a first body portion 14 and a second body portion 16 thatcan be separated or fastened together. The first body portion 14 can beidentical with the second body portion 16, for example, to increasemanufacturing efficiency, decrease manufacturing cost, and increaseinterconnectivity and simplicity of the clamping system. FIG. 3illustrates either the second body portion 16 of the smart clamp 10 orthe first body portion 14 of the smart clamp 10. Each of the first bodyportion 14 and the second body portion 16 include a semicircular,radially inward-facing surface 18. Fastening the first body portion 14to the second body portion 16, the radially inward-facing surfaces for afull circle defining a channel 20 through the smart clamp 10 and throughwhich the wire bundle 12 extends. The continuously curved characteristicof the circular, radially inwardly facing surfaces 18 formed duringfastening of the first body portion 14 with the second body portion 16lessens the risk of abrasion or cutting into a clamped wire or wirebundle. The circular shape also increases the area and uniformity ofclamping. Other non-sharp shapes, such as an oval, are conceived, aswell.

The first body portion 14 and the second body portion 16, for example,can be made of plastic, carbon fiber, or carbon nanotubes, though othersufficiently rigid materials can be suitable. Using plastics or carbonin the smart clamp 10 is advantageous over metallic securing devicesbecause plastics and carbon are lighter, easier to install, and easierto bend. Plastic and carbon clamps also can achieve securing strength asstrong as metal clamps.

The first body portion 14 and the second body portion 16 fasten byconnection of complementary snap-fit tab assemblies, which include a tab22 and a complementary tab receptacle 24. The body portions 14, 16 caneach have a first end portion 26, a second end portion 28, and a thirdend portion 30. The first end portion 26 can include the tab 22, thesecond end portion 28, which is opposite the first end portion 26, caninclude the tab receptacle 24. The third end portion 30 connects thefirst end portion 26 and the second end portion 28. The tab 22 at thefirst end portion 26 of the first body portion 14 is releasably attachedto the receptacle 24 at the third end portion 28 of the second bodyportion 16, and the tab 22 at the first end portion 26 of the secondbody portion 16 is releasably attached to the receptacle 24 at the thirdend portion 28 of the first body portion 14. FIG. 4 illustrates half ofa smart clamp 31 including a body portion 33 and an alternativeembodiment of a complementary snap-fit tab assembly, wherein each firstend portion 32 and each third end portion 34 includes a tab 36 and a tabreceptacle 38.

Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 3 , and FIG. 4 , to lock the tab 22, 36 inthe receptacle 24, 38, a locking channel 40 can be drilled or otherwiseformed from a front face 42 of the body portion 14, 16 into thereceptacle 24, 38. When the tab 22, 36 is being inserted into thereceptacle 24, 38, a projecting end 44, 46 of the tab 22, 36, which mayhave a wedge-like shape, presses against an interior wall of thereceptacle 24, 38, which elastically deflects the tab 22, 36. When thetab 22, 36 is fully inserted into the receptacle 24, 38, the projectingend 44, 46 of the tab 22, 36 snaps out into the locking channel 40,retaining the two body portions in a clamped position.

The locking channel 40 can serve also to release the tab 22, 36. A toolcan be inserted into release channel 40, 42 to depress or bend the tab22, 36, freeing the projecting end 44, 46 and allowing the tabs 22, 36to be pulled out of the receptacles 24, 38, thereby allowing theconnected body portions (e.g., first body portion 14 and second bodyportion 16) to be pulled apart, or unclamped.

Other now-known or future-developed releasable fastening mechanisms canbe used alternatively.

Additional holes 50 through the first body 14 and the second body 16 areconfigured to accommodate a strap tie 52 or other fastener, asillustrated in FIG. 5 . A stack of clamps 10 can be tied together usingthe additional holes 50, for example.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 , and additionally to FIG. 6 , which illustratesthe smart clamp 10 connected to sensor housing 60, the smart clamp 10can include a first interconnection element 62 and a secondinterconnection element 64 to connect two smart clamps. The firstinterconnection element 62 is configured, and also located with respectto the second interconnection element 64, to mate with the secondinterconnection element 64 of another smart clamp 10. In the depictedembodiment, the first interconnection element 62 is a rod, and thesecond interconnection element 64 is shaped like a concave half-pipe,with a rotation angle of more than 180 degrees, such that the secondinterconnection element 64 can snap around the first interconnectionelement 62 and retain the first interconnection element 62. The rod orcylindrical shape of the interconnection allows two smart clamps 10 tobe connected at variable angles with respect to each other. A frictionfit can facilitate the snap fit, and can also help hold the desiredangle after positioning two interconnected smart clamps 10.

Each side of the smart clamp 10 can include a pair of interconnectionelements 62, 64. Accordingly, the first end portion 26 can include thefirst interconnection element 62, the second end portion 28 can includethe second interconnection element 64, and the third end portion 30 caninclude both a first interconnection element 62 and a secondinterconnection element 64. The smart clamps 10 can be interconnected ineach side, and connected into an array.

Referring to FIG. 4 , and also to FIGS. 7-10 , the smart clamp 31 mayalso have a ridge 70 on one side and a groove 72 on the opposite side.The groove 72 is configured to slide into the ridge 70, such thatsliding the ridge 70 of one smart clamp 31 into the groove 72 of anothersmart clamp 31 interlocks the two smart clamps 31. The ridge 70 canprovide an additional locking support element 71 at a point of stressfor the curved body. The ridge 70 has a first width at a first diameterand a narrower width than the first width at a second diameter radiallyinward from the first diameter. The groove 72 has a matching shape, suchthat the wider width of the second ridge 70 is held radially by thenarrower width of the groove 72.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 8, and 10 , at the groove 72, a notch 73 with asnap-fit tab or lip 74 is configured to be complementary in shape to thelocking support element 71 to have a ramp and a flat section.Accordingly, the ramp is angled downward toward the front of the matingbody portion to form a receiving space. The locking support element 71can slide along the ramp as two body portions of two smart clamps 31 areinterconnected. The notch 73 can be at a distal end of the ramp. Whenthe two body portions of the two clamps 31 are brought together, the lip74 slides into the notch 73, such that, when the two body portions ofthe two smart clamps 31 are fully engaged, the locking support element71 and the notch 73 and lip 74 are in an interlocked configuration,flush against one another.

The smart clamps can also include a grip that can be replaced with avariety of grips having differently sized inner diameters to hold orclamp variously sized wires or wire bundles. FIG. 11 illustrates a grip76. The grip 76 has a groove 80 in a radially outwardly facing surface82.

As seen in FIGS. 4, 9, and 10 , a radially inwardly facing surface 84includes a second ridge 86. This second ridge 86 is configured to fitinto the groove 80 of the grip 76. The second ridge 86 can be molded orotherwise fashioned in a substantially semi-circular shape suitable toslidably insert into the groove 80. The second ridge 86 has a firstwidth at a first diameter and a narrower width than the first width at asecond diameter radially inward from the first diameter. The groove 80has a matching shape, such that the wider width of the second ridge 86is held radially by the narrower width of the groove 80.

The grip 76 may be molded or otherwise formed from any plastic or rubberknown in the art as long as the material is flexible enough to allow thegrip 76 to flex and to permit support to the wire bundles there between,and also for the complementary snap-fit tabs 36 and tab receptacles 38to fully mate and interlock without deforming permanently. Exemplarytypes of plastic used may be polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl,malemide, polyamide, polyaryletherketone and various plasticizedcombinations of such materials. Grip material should be soft enough sothe material does not chafe into the wires that are being held in place,and hard enough so it can remain abrasion resistant. Grip materialshould be able to reduce noise due to surface contact and provide astrong grip. Grip material should meet the FAA regulations for flame,smoke, and toxicity and should remain an integral part of the smartclamp through required manufacturing, bonding or assembly processes. Thegrip material may be similar to the material of the smart clamp 10, 31,or could be different to meet requirements of end use application andcost implications.

In some embodiments, the grip 76 is mostly comprised of thermoplasticsand thermoset materials.

Thermoplastics:

-   Silicone or blends: High temperature and chemical resistant,    transparent, liquid injection overmolding on clamp or cut-to-size    strip and bond to clamp body;-   Fluoroelastomers or blends: High temperature and chemical resistant,    cut-to- size strip and bond to clamp body; and-   Siltem or blends of material with siloxane in backbone of polymer    chain: High temperature and chemical resistant, softness to reduce    noise due to other surfaces, process through injection molding or    extrusion;

Thermoset:

-   Polyamide Imide: Higher curing for clamp body, local curing can be    modified to achieve softness in grip and hardness in clamp; and-   Epoxy or Polyamide with elastomer particles: Epoxy and dissolvable    elastomer mixture is poured into a mold to form the clamp, the    elastomer particles phase separate as the epoxy is being cured, the    phase separation is designed such that the elastomer material    migrated towards a desired location for the grip;

Other Materials:

PolyMethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) as a base material. Fluorosiliconespecifically Silastic FL 70-9201 made by Dow Coming was chosen for itsweight, hardness, overmoldability, colorablity, and prior FAA approval.

In some embodiments, the smart clamp is mostly comprised ofthermoplastics and thermoset materials.

Thermoplastics:

-   Polyetherimide (Ultem) or blends: FAA approved, high temperature and    chemical resistant; and-   Polycarbonate (Lexan FST) or blends: FAA approved, transparent

Thermoset:

-   Polyamide Imide: Higher curing for clamp body;-   Epoxy or Polyamide with elastomer particles: Epoxy and dissolvable    elastomer mixture is poured into a mold to form the clamp, the    elastomer particles phase separate as the epoxy is being cured. The    phase separation is designed such that the elastomer material    migrated towards a desired location for grip.

One or more sensors 77 can be disposed inside or on the smart clamp bodyportions 14, 16, 33 (see FIG. 3 , for example), or inside or on the grip76, and each smart clamp 10, 31 can be color coded depending on thespecific type of sensor and what the sensor detects. Any now-known orfuture-developed sensor can be used.

In an embodiment, the sensor may include electrical leads (not shown)that extend within the body portions 14, 16, 33 or the grip 76 toterminal access points. The electrical leads may be connected to awireless device (not shown) that can send a signal to a control module(not shown). The control module, in response, can adjust operatingparameters. The control module (not shown) can also include a displaygauge for displaying a numerical magnitude of a parameter reported bythe sensor, such as temperature. For example, if the sensor is athermistor, then the gauge may be a temperature gauge displaying atemperature reading transmitted by the thermistor over the wirelessdevice.

There are industry standards for acceptable leakage current, whichranges from 0.25 mA to 3.5 mA depending upon whether the device ishandheld and/or grounded. FIG. 12 shows a layout of how leakage currentcan be used to detect and locate problems in an aircraft circuit by theuse of multiple smart clamps with amperage sensors. Having an amperagesensor that can detect less than 0.1 mA would give a low enough range todetect problems in circuits without much leakage current. The ideabeing, any change in leakage current from a calibrated nominal levelcould be indicative of wire damage/wear or another problem with thedevices on the circuit. It is also important to consider the timing ofthe sampling and the size of the sensor.

FIGS. 6 and 13-17 illustrate an electronic housing module 90, which canhouse electronic components 91, such as sensors, a radio receiver ortransmitter, a circuit board or logic board, associated circuitry, etc.The electronic housing module 90 includes snap tubes 92 to connect tothe smart clamp 10. The snap tubes 92 include fingers 94 and retainingtabs 96, such that the fingers 94 can be bent inward when pushed throughthe additional holes 50 from a first side of the smart clamp 10, untilthe retaining tabs 96 emerge on an opposite side of the smart clamp 10and the retaining tabs 96 snap outward to lock the electronics housingmodule 90 to the smart clamp 10.

Access to the electronics is accomplished by use of a lid 98 with afingertip recess 102 and a retention lip 104. The retention lip 104 cansnap into a groove or ledge (not shown) inside the electronics housingmodule 90. A user can open the lid 98 by pulling on the fingertip recess102, and rotating the lid 98 around a hinge 106.

As with the smart module 10, the electronics housing module 90 includestwo halves, which can be identical. The two halves can be latchedtogether around a wire bundle, and then connected to the smart module10, as described above. FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 illustrate a latchingmechanism 108 to latch the two halves of the electronics housing module90. The latching mechanism 108 includes a tab 110 tab configured toengage a tab socket 112.

The smart clamps, which can be connected to each other and to theelectronic housing modules 90, can also be mounted to machines or otheritems external to the clamping system. FIG. 20 illustrates a mountingelement 114, which has a groove 116 and a pin 118. The pin 118 can beribbed, tapered, threaded, for example. The pin 118 can attach to anappropriately sized hole in a machine or other item, and the groove 116can attach to the ridge 70. FIG. 21 illustrates the mounting element 114attached to a smart clamp 31.

FIG. 22 illustrates another embodiment of a mounting element, whichincludes a bracket 120. A ridge 121 similar to the ridge 70 of smartclamp 31 can be positioned on a front face 122 of the smart clamp 31,and the bracket 120 with a groove 126 configured to slide onto the ridge121, can attach to the ridge 121. The bracket 120 can be fastened to amachine or other item external to the smart clamp system, such as by,but not limited to, riveting, bolting, screwing, or welding. A safetytab 128 can be positioned in the groove 126 to prevent sliding betweenthe groove 126 and the ridge 121 during vibration of the machine orother item to which the clamping system is mounted. The safety tab 128engages a spacing 129 in the ridge 121 where each half of the ridge 121and the body portions join.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a bracket 130 that attaches to anairframe or chassis of a vehicle using a standard military rivet 132.The bracket 130 has a general base portion 133 and a groove 134extending in opposite directions from a rivet hole 135. It should benoted that the base portion 133 can be any of a variety of shapes thatare generally known in the art (e.g., rectangular, square, round-shaped,I-shaped, H-shaped, horseshoe shaped, etc.). The bracket 130 may or maynot have casters 136. A plurality of casters 136 may be part of thebracket 130 and may be adapted to support the smart clamp. The bracket130 can be riveted to the airframe or chassis, through the rivet hole135, and the groove 134, with a dovetail-shaped cross-section, can slideonto a ridge 137, which has a corresponding dovetail-shapedcross-section. In this embodiment, a head 131 of the rivet 132 can actlike the safety tab 128 of the mounting bracket embodiment of FIG. 22 ,and the head 131 of the rivet 132 can engage the spacing 129 of theridge 137 to prevent sliding of the bracket 130 with respect to theridge 137.

FIG. 24 shows the bracket 130 and rivet 132 attached to a smart clamp138. The casters 136 can press against a first face 139 and an oppositesecond face 140 of the smart clamp 138, while the ridge 137 engages thegroove 134 and the head 131 of the rivet 132 engages the spacing 129 ofthe ridge 137. Another side of the smart clamp 138 includes a groove 141identical to the groove 134 of the bracket 130, with a safety tab 142like the safety tab 128 of the groove 134, such that a second smartclamp (not shown) identical to the smart clamp 138 can connect with thesmart clamp 138 and be locked from sliding.

Mounted to a vehicle or other item, and in use to clamp wires, the smartclamps can be utilized as part of a smart clamping system to collect andreport data for detection and diagnosis of wiring damage or faults. Eachalternative embodiment of the smart clamping system provides a systemfor monitoring and visualizing the health of aircraft wiring integritythrough the use of integrated wiring harness sensors and algorithms. Thetechnology leverages potentially high volumes of data obtained by thesmart clamp sensors to create better computing models through the use ofaugmented reality for predictions of wiring maintenance, faultidentification, and repair.

FIG. 25 schematically illustrates a smart clamping system 160, whichincludes a smart clamp 162, a data acquisition device 164, a server 166,and a storage device 168. The smart clamping system 160 can includewireless communication, time-stamping, and collection and storage ofsmart interconnecting clamp data. Examples of the types of datacollected include, but are not limited to, pressure data, temperaturedata, amperage data, and diagnostic and trouble code data.

The smart clamp 162, or a module connected to the smart clamp 162, caninclude a sensor 170, which generates data. The sensor 70 can be anynow-known or future-developed type of sensor, and can retrieve smartclamp position data, temperature data, current data, frequency data,pressure data, and image data, amongst other data.

A processor 172 can control operation of the sensor 170 and acommunications device 174, which can transmit the data to theacquisition device 164.

The data acquisition device 164 can include a stationary device, such asa mainframe computer system, or a hand-held or wearable computingdevice, such as a tablet, hololens, or smart phone. The data acquisitiondevice 164 can include an interrogator 176 that is able to read theinformation disposed within the vehicle. The data acquisition device 164can further include a processor 178 for analyzing data generated by thesensor 172 in or connected to the smart clamp 162 and a communicationsdevice 180 (e.g., a transmitter, receiver, etc.) for transmitting thedata to or from the smart clamp 162, or to and from another computer ordevice. The processor 178 can be configured to control the sensor 170and communications device 174 of the smart clamp 162, rendering no needfor the processor 172 of the smart clamp 162. The communications devices174, 180 can be configured to communicate by Bluetooth, radio frequency,or any other now-known or future-developed wireless or wiredcommunications mode.

The ability of the smart clamping system 160 to collect data with anRFID tag, Bluetooth, or any wireless communication device, and transmitthe data to the external data acquisition device allows for theautomation of fleet management processes, vehicle maintenance and repairprocesses, and certain security features. For example, the vehicle smartinterconnecting clamp data can be automatically collected and stored foranalysis by existing work-study software programs, which perform worktime studies on the vehicles and their operators, including amperageleaks due to chafing and vibrations. Furthermore, the data can becompared with data ranges indicating normal operating conditions todetermine if the vehicle is in need of immediate repair or maintenance.In addition, the external data acquisition device can be used toautomatically perform certain security functions, such as detectingspecific conditions and alerting a local computer or device if thesecurity is breached.

As used herein, a computer, or other data acquisition device 164 caninclude a means for a user to interface with the smart clamping system1, to display, review, and manipulate sensor data, or other vehicledata, and to enter information. The user interface can include akeyboard, touch screen, scanner, and a display, etc. The dataacquisition device 164 may contain a memory 182, although in someembodiments the processor 178 and/or the memory 182 may resideelsewhere. The smart clamping system can assist a user to troubleshootor check electrical wiring harnesses, providing an effective way tolocalize wiring faults and isolate a single wire. Images of templates ofthe electrical wiring harness being checked or a single wire causing themalfunction can be projected using the user interface of the dataacquisition device 164. These images can be superimposed with additionalimages of aid requested by the technician, acting on virtual menusand/or buttons/icons projected on the smart handheld device. An image ofa wiring harness component (for example, a connector or a wire where afault can be isolated) captured on the data acquisition device 164 canbe added to facilitate the execution of an operation in the component(for example, the identification of the the connector to which aparticular wire identified by its signal must be checked or a graphillustrating the diagram of said electrical system to which theconnector or wire belongs to).The user interface of the data acquisitiondevice 164 can include virtual menus, such as for selecting anadditional image of aid by the technician in order to check electricalwiring harnesses.

FIG. 26 illustrates an example of a vehicle 190 on a display 192 of adata acquisition device 164 showing faults detected and reported by thesmart clamping system 160.

Referring again to FIG. 25 , the server 166 and the storage device 168can connect to the data acquisition device 164 to scan the smart clamp162 and make information requests. In addition, client server 166 maybe, for example, a personal computer, a handheld computer, a portablecomputer, a wearable device, or a network computer. Server 166 andstorage device 168 can provide information, such as boot files,operating system images, data analytics, and applications to the dataacquisition device 164. Server 166 and storage device 168 can be clientsthat may include additional server computers, client computers, andother devices.

Augmented reality monitoring is an artificial intelligence/augmentedreality-enabled aspect of the smart clamping system 1 configured to savetime during wiring predictive maintenance. As aircraft continue to age,the importance of wiring integrity becomes a safety concern.Deterioration of physical properties of wiring systems could result infailures increasing the sensitivity to electromagnetic fields. Theaugmented reality monitoring system provides a reliable method fordetecting wiring defects before these defects become faults.

The augmented reality monitoring system can generate a multi-dimensionalrepresentation of the physical data. Wire bundles on aircraft aresubject to external source disturbances during flight. Machine learningalgorithms can be used to process large data sets from an array ofinterconnected smart clamps with built-in sensors regardingElectromagnetic Interference (EMI), also known as Radio-frequencyInterference (RFI), that affects radios, mobile devices, and computermonitors, ‘parallel’ arc faults, when the leakage current travels inarcs through the insulation, and ‘series’ arc faults, measurements ofimpedance, damaged and aged insulation (poor contact between electricalconductors), damp, temperature, humidity, solar exposure, bandwidth,contamination, degradation over time, metal shavings from repairs,exposure to fluids, Ph levels and physical properties of insulation suchas washing solutions or hydraulic fluids, flexibility, hardness, tensilestrength, compressive strength, and torsion strength, etc.

Physical data captured at a point in time using a number of smart clampscan be used to create a multi-dimensional representation. This augmetedreality monitoring system can extract meaningful data or patterns fromthe data with proven algorithms to provide an integrated technology inthe areas of evaluation, inspection, testing, training, wire repairtechnology and future wiring development, to provide a solution thatwill aid manufacturers and maintenance industries to make quick andaccurate decisions on the fly to detect aging effects on wiring throughthe interconnection system provided by the smart clamps and processdifferent types of data from failures and wiring faults, to provide dataregarding failure characterization, diagnostics, interconnectiontechnologies, and maintenance tools.

The smart clamping/augmented reality system can provide simplifiedmaintenance to technicians for troubleshooting or checking electricalwiring harnesses in an interactive way. The augmented reality system canutilize machine learning, genetic algorithms, neural networks, or otherartificial intelligence methods to study and learn from diagnosticresults. The smart clamping system’s adaptive AI capability acrosswiring systems could become an integral part of a vehicle tocontinuously monitor and locate wiring faults and wiring defects. Thesmart clamping system can monitor the wiring signals and storecorresponding data into a database. Data from real-time inspection ofwiring integrity can determine schedule maintenance and statisticalanalysis of electrical wiring. When fed with advanced machine learningalgorithms or deep learning algorithms, the augmented reality of thesmart clamping system becomes capable of detecting and erasing humanprejudices from data-driven decisions.

In an embodiment of the smart clamping system, an augmented realityvision system for a wire harness troubleshooting environment can beimplemented. The augmented reality vision system comprises a displaysystem and a processor running a mobile application. The display systemhas a viewing area configured to display an image. The display system ishandheld, wearable, or head-mounted. The mobile application providesdata regarding the smart clamps and/or the wire harness. The mobileapplication receives an input to scan the aircraft. The mobileapplication retrieves task information associated with the wire harnesscontaining the fault. The mobile application may receive a second inputrequesting information related to the wire localization. The mobileapplication generates a map of a branch of the wire harness based on theSICC indicating a location of a selected wire in the map.

A further embodiment of the smart clamping system is directed to asystem for automating the collection of vehicle sensor data for fleetoperations. The system includes a wireless and a portable dataacquisition device accessible to a vehicle operator. The RFID orBluetooth device includes an input interface for collecting data fromone or more sensors that are disposed within a wire harness, a processorfor associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of the data, and amemory for storing the time-stamped data. The portable data acquisitiondevice includes a wireless interrogator for receiving the data from thememory of the device, a memory for storing the data, and a dataacquisition processor. The memory of the portable data acquisitiondevice stores one or more preselected delivery positions. In oneembodiment, the portable data acquisition device alerts the operator ofa fault within the wiring harness through an RFID tag. In anotherembodiment, the portable data acquisition device provides an alert tothe operator of a fault within the wiring harness through Bluetoothcommunication. In a future embodiment, the portable data acquisitiondevice provides an alert to the operator of a fault within the wiringharness through another alternative for wireless communication.

FIG. 27 depicts a representation of a network of data processing system202 in which an embodiment may be implemented. Data processing system202 is a network of communication and storage devices in which a portionof a smart clamping system may be implemented. The data processingsystem 202 contains storage devices 203, which are the medium used tostore the data obtained by the smart clamping system 160 through memory204 and persistent storage 205. The data processing system 202 providescommunications links between various devices and computers connectedtogether through a control unit 206 and a communications unit 207.

FIG. 28 shows a portable/wearable device 210 that is used to visualize asmart clamp sensor system 212 and exchanges information through acommunications unit 214. A control unit 215 is used for the datamanipulation process through image rotation 217, scaling 218, andcustomization 219. A user interface 220 allows for display 221 and datarequest 222.

FIG. 29 shows various elements of a telematics data collection andevaluation system in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention. As explained in greater detail below, the active RFID tag,Bluetooth device, or other wireless device collects smart clampingsystem data and transmits the data to an external data acquisitiondevice via an interrogator in communication with the external dataacquisition device. The different measured parameters are displayed bytheir representing icons in a portable/wearable device, such aselectromagnetic interference 233, humidity 234, temperature 235,amperage leak 236, among others. The faulty wire 237 is isolated withinthe alerted smart clamping system 1. The system receives informationabout physical data, such as the distance to a number of physical smartclamping system devices, and uses the physical data to generate spatialframework for physical smart clamping system devices. Spatial frameworkfor physical and digital SICC devices may be, for example, withoutlimitation, represented as a 3D vector/point. The 3D vector/point is aset of vertices in a three-dimensional coordinate system. These verticesare typically defined by X, Y and Z coordinates, and are intended to berepresentative of the external surface of a smart clamp system.

FIG. 30 is an illustration of a display of portable device depicted inaccordance with an embodiment. The portable device in FIG. 30 is anillustrative example of one implementation of number of portable andwearable devices. FIG. 30 is also a depiction of the data displayedthrough a metrology process. An overlay of digital information, physicaldata, and other digital data, a mapping of digital information and otherdigital data to physical data. Other digital data may be, for example,without limitation, text, graphics, icons, and other data that may beoverlaid with physical data to augment the reality.

FIG. 31 is a multi-data representation that may be viewed by a userusing display. Muiti-data representation may be manipulated fordifferent viewing options using data manipulation controls and icons toactivate data manipulation process. In an illustrative example, a usermay input image request to data manipulation controls. Image request maybe a request for a desired view to be streamed to portable device.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention hereindescribed are merely illustrative of the application of the principlesof the invention. Aspects of different embodiments described herein canbe combined in other embodiments. Reference herein to details of theillustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of theclaims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential tothe invention.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A smart interconnecting clamp comprising: a firstbody portion; and a second body portion configured to mate with thefirst body portion to form a center hole for holding a wire or wirebundle, the mated first body portion and second body portion having afirst side, a second side directly adjacent the first side, a third sidedirectly adjacent the second side and opposite the first side withrespect to the center hole, and a fourth side directly adjacent thethird side and the first side and opposite the second side with respectto the hole, the first side including a ridge with a center gap.
 22. Thesmart interconnecting clamp of claim 21, wherein the second side has agroove with a center tab, the third side has a ridge with a center gap,and the fourth side has a groove with a center tab.
 23. The smartinterconnecting clamp of claim 21, wherein each body portion is moldedfrom one of a thermoplastic, a thermoplastic and a plurality ofhigh-modulus reinforcing fibers, carbon nanotubes, or carbon fibers. 24.The smart interconnecting clamp of claim 21, wherein the first bodyportion and the second body portion are substantially identical.
 25. Thesmart interconnecting clamp of claim 24, wherein the bracket furtherincludes an arm extending from the body on opposing sides of the groove.26. The smart interconnecting clamp of claim 21, further including abracket having an elongated body, the elongated body having a length anda groove extending the length, the groove including a center holeconfigured for insertion of a rivet.
 27. The smart interconnecting clampof claim 21, comprising a sensor configured to determine at least one ofclamp location, current, current leakage, electromagnetic interference,frequency, temperature, and humidity.
 28. The smart interconnectingclamp of claim 21, further including a bracket, the bracket including abody with a dovetail-shaped groove and a flange connected to the body,the flange including a hole configured for insertion of a fastener. 29.A bracket for connecting a smart interconnecting clamp to a surface, thebracket comprising: a body including a dovetail-shaped groove, thegroove including a tab; a flange connected to the body, the flangeincluding a hole configured for insertion of a fastener.
 30. The bracketof claim 29, wherein the body and flange include at least one ofthermoplastic, thermoplastic and a plurality of high-modulus reinforcingfibers, carbon nanotubes, and carbon fibers.
 31. A bracket forconnecting a smart interconnecting clamp to a surface, the bracketcomprising an elongated body, the elongated body having a length and adovetail-shaped groove extending the length, the dovetail-shaped grooveincluding a center hole configured for insertion of a rivet.